Flanged tubular article and method of making same



' Dec. 7, 1937. c, DUNCAN 2,101,311

FLANGED TUBULAR ARTICLE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed May 3. 19:55

Patented Dec. 7, 1937 UNITED STATES FLAN GED TUBULAR ARTICLE METHOD OF MAKING SAME Charles R. Duncan, Waukegan, 111., assignor to Oakes Products Corporation, North Chicago, 111., a corporation of Michigan Application May 3, 1935, Serial No. 19,550

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a flanged tubular article and to a method of making the same, and more particularly to the manufacture of a gasoline tank flller flange assembly.

It has heretofore been customary in making flanged tubular articles to make them in one piece by a series of stamping or drawing operations. Where a deep draw is required, it may be necessary to perform several separate and distinct operations to produce the flnal article.

According to my present method, a flanged tubular article is produced in a simpler and less expensive way from two pieces of sheet metal rather than from a single piece. The tubular portion of the article is formed by bending or rolling one piece of sheet metal into the form of a tube and the flange is formed separately from another piece of sheet metal in a single cutting .and stamping operation. The members are then temporarily united and permanently welded together, preferably by the use of a copper containing brazing material and a reducing atmosphere. M

It is therefore an important object of this invention to provide a flanged tubular article formed from two pieces of sheet metal cut and stamped to shape and welded together into a unitary assembly.

It is a further important object of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive method of making flanged tubular articles from sheet metal, using copper hydrogen welding to unite the parts together.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying 'drawing.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illus-' trated in the drawing and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawing:

Figure 1 is a broken elevational view of a gasoline tank having attached thereto a flanged fllling spout.

Figure 2 is a plan view of a gasoline tank filler flange assembly illustrating a step in its manu- I stitutes merely an illustration of an embodiment of my invention and that the invention contemplates broadly the manufacture of any flanged tubular article from sheet metal.

Said filling spout ll comprises a tubular portion 12 and a flange 13 adapted to be secured thereto. The tubular portion 12' is suitably formed from a single piece of sheet metal by cutting a piece of sheet metal to provide interfitting elements, such as the tongue 14 and recess 15 along opposite edges 16 and I1, respectively. The tongue 14 and recess 15 are preferably wedge shaped so that when the edges 16 and I! are bent over into abutting relation, the tongue l4 may be interlocked, or dovetailed, into the recess l5 to hold the sheet metal in tubular form.

The flange I3 is formed in a single operation from sheet metal, as by cutting and stamping, to provide an annular flange I 8 and a tubular flange I9 angularly disposed thereto. Apertures 20 are formed at the same time in the annular flange I8 for receiving rivets 2| or the like, by means of which the filling spout may be attached to the gasoline tank 10.

The flange 13 is then inserted over the beveled edge 22 of the tubular member l2 and is secured in place thereon by suitable means, such as spot welding at points S. A wire 23 of brazing material, such as copper or brass, is then "id around the beveled end 22 of the tubular member I2 at the joint with the flange I9. The thus assembled unit is then subjected to a welding tempera:

'ture, as by passing the unit through a furnace having a reducing atmosphere, such as hydrogen or a mixture of gases containing hydrogen. Under these conditions the brazing wire melts and is drawn by capillarity not only. illti) the joint between the tubular flange l9 and the end 22 of the tubular member I2 but also into the joint between the abutting edges 16 and 11. The tubular member 12 is thus welded to the flange l3 and the seam between the abutting edges 16 and I! is closed by the welding of these two edges together.

g It will be appreciated that the above described method-is less expensive than that heretofore practiced of forming a flanged tubular article by a series of drawing operations. My above method is believed to be applicable to the manufacture of flanged tubular articles generally where the weight of such articles is relatively slight and they can be made from light weight sheet metal.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be 2 a, 1o1,s1i varied through a wide range without departing. interlocking edges and having a beveled end. and

from the principles oi this invention, and l therefore, do not purpose limiting. ithepaterit granted hereon otherwise than necessitated-thy the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

'A filling spout for a gasoline tank,.said spout comprising a smooth walled cylinder formed from a single piece of sheet metal having welded g4. flange formed from a single piece of sheet metal and having a sleeve for telescopically receiving said beveled end in snug fitting full cylindrical surface contact therewith, said sleeve and beveled end being welded together throughout said surface contact area.

. CHARLES R. DUNCAN. 

